News

Game theory in the popular press.

 

Game theory and economics in the news

August 17, 2006 BBC News, All is fair in love, war and poker
Game theory can be used to become the world champion of poker and to understand the commitment power of engagement rings. (by Tim Harford)
April 19, 2005 Financial Times, Rules that breed selfish conduct
Prisoners' dilemmas are only troublesome when people are assumed to be selfish. Yet, if we predicate public policy on reciprocity and cooperation, better outcomes would result. (by John Kay)
March 13, 2003 Economist, Pro bono publico
Reports on initial simulations of the evolution of cooperative societies, overcoming the incentive to free ride.
July 25, 2002 Fox News, Living Together Before Marriage May Hurt Chances of Staying Together
Explores the commitment of marriage and its higher success rate than cohabitation.
July 23, 2002 New York Times, Why We're So Nice: We're Wired to Cooperate
Psychiatrists note that cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma is part of innate altruism.
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July 18, 2002 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Why cooperate? It's a pleasure, says Emory study
Psychiatrists note that cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma is part of innate altruism.
June 1, 2002 Natural History, Cheaters and chumps
Discusses game theory's contribution to evolutionary cooperation, noting the role of anonymity, repeated play, and kinship.
January 23, 2002 HealthScoutNews, Study Reinforces Power of the Golden Rule
The tragedy of the commons may be resolved through indirect reciprocity.
January 10, 2002 Texas A&M University, Social Interactions May Be Traced Back To Carnivorous Behavior
Cooperative hunting and meat-sharing analyzed as a cooperative game and a negotiation.
January 10, 2002 Nature, Homo Reciprocans
Human altruistic tendencies result in punishing free-riders, potentially resolving the tragedy of the commons. (by Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis)
December 1, 2000 Slate.com, Why Men Pay To Stay Married
Post-divorce wage differentials explained through search and matching models.
March 30, 2000 Nature, Survival of the clearest
Evolutionary game theory used to explain the evolution of human language.
July 6, 1996 Slate.com, More sex is safer sex
Justifies promiscuity and subsidization of condoms by examining probability, imperfect signals, and externalities